Electric razor oiling jig



Jan. 21, 1969 M. H. MENK ELECTRIC RAZOR OILING JIG Filed March 10, 1966 FIG.3.

/ -uL- Mi -M United States Patent 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An oiling jig is disclosed which is adapted to clean and oil the cutting surfaces of an electric razor of the type in which a blade slides longitudinally within a hollow cutter bar. The jig includes an elongate cap which is adapted to slide longitudinally over the cutter bar and an elongate swab which is mounted on the cap and which extends substantially parallel thereto. The swab is longer than half of the length of the cutter bar and substantially shorter than the full length so that, when the jig is applied alternately to the opposite ends of the bar, the entire length of the bar is lubricated without removing the blade therefrom.

This invention relates to oiling jigs for electric razors and more particularly to such a jig which is adapted for use with a razor of the type which includes a hollow cutter bar and a blade which slides longitudinally within the bar.

To preserve the cutting edges in electric razors of the type described it is desirable that the cutter bar and blade be cleaned and lubricated after each use. Preferably the lubricant is applied directly to the cutting surface between the cutter bar and the blade. Heretofore it has typically been necessary that the blade be completely removed from the cutter bar to permit this cleaning and oiling. Because of the close tolerances to which such cutter bars and blades are fit, the reassembly of these elements is typically a time-consuming process and involves the risk that one or the other of these relatively delicate elements will be damaged.

Among the several objects of the present invention may be noted the provision of an oiling jig for an electric razor which facilitates the complete oiling of the cutter bar without requiring that the blade and cutter bar be completely disassembled; the provision of such an oiling jig which applies lubricant directly to the surface of the cutter bar against which the blade slides; the provision of such a jigwhich is simple to use without risking damage to the cutter bar or the blade; and the provision of such a jig which is relatively simple and inexpensive. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

Briefly, an oiling jig according to the present invention is usable with electric razors of the type which include a hollow cutter bar having a multiplicity of openings through which whiskers may enter the interior of the bar and a blade which slides longitudinally within the bar for clipping the whiskers. The jig itself includes a cap adapted to slide longitudinally over the cutter bar. A swab is mounted on the cap for sliding within the cutter bar to apply lubricant to the interior surface of the bar, particularly the surface against which the blade slides, while driving the blade through the bar ahead of the swab. The swab is longer than half of the length of the bar and substantially shorter than the full length of the bar whereby the full length of the bar can be lubricated by inserting the jig from the opposite ends of the bar without completely removing the blade from the bar.

3,422,927 Patented Jan. 21, 1969 The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of the various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electric razor having multiple cutting bars and an oiling jig according to the present invention for lubricating the cutting bars;

FIG. 2 is a side view in section showing one of the swabs of the oiling jig of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a similar sectional view showing the swab inserted within a cutter bar of the razor.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the electric razor illustrated therein comprises three hollow cutter bars 11, 13 and 15. Each cutter bar includes along its upper surface a multiplicity of slot-like openings 17 through which whiskers may extend into the interior of the bar. A respective blade 21, 23 and 25 fits closely within each of the cutter bars 11, 13 and 15 and is slideable longitudinally thereof. The blades 21, 23 and 25 also include slot-like openings 26 which cooperate with the openings 17 in the cutter bars for clipping whiskers. The razor includes a housing 27 upon which the cutter bars are mounted. The housing contains a conventional motor or drive mechanism (not shown) for reciprocating the blades 21, 23 and 25 within their respective cutter bars for clipping whiskers. A pair of covers 29 and 31 are hinged to the housing 27 for closing off the ends of the cutter bars 11, 13 and 15 when the razor is in use. These covers are shown in their foldeddown position which exposes the ends of the cutter bars and the blades for cleaning and oiling.

By disengaging the drive mechanism, the blades 21, 23 and 25 may be slid longitudinally out of the cutter bars as shown. In some razor constructions, this disengagement may require that the cutter bars and blades be removed from the housing 27 as a separate assembly.

At 33 is indicated an oiling jig according to the present invention. Jig 33 includes. a cap having a channel portion 35 which is of substantially U-shaped cross section and an end wall portion 37 which closes off one end of the channel. The channel 35 may conveniently be constituted by formed sheet metal while the end wall 37 may be cast within channel 35 using a material such as lead or pot metal. Three swabs 41, 43 and 45 are mounted on the end wall 37 within the channel 35 so as tobe in alignment with respective ones of the cutter bars 11, 13 and 15 when the cap is slid over the cutter bars. Each of the swabs 41, 43 and 45 comprises a mass of lubricant absorbent material 47 supported on a twisted wire stem 49. The swabs are conveniently mounted on end wall 37 by casting the base ends of the wire stems into the material which constitutes the end wall. The length of each swab is greater than one half the length of the cutter bars 11, 13 and 15 and is substantially less than the full length of the bars. The size of the mass of lubricant absorbent material 47 is such that, when the swabs are inserted into the cutter bars, the blades 21, 23 and 25 are driven through the cutter bars ahead of the swabs.

In use, the swabs are impregnated with oil and the cap is slid over the cutter bars so that the swabs pass into the bars. As the jig is thus applied at one end of the cutter bars, more than one-half of the bar is lubricated. The blades, however, are not driven completely out of their respective cutter bars. By performing this operation at both ends of the cutter bars, the cutter bars may thus be fully lubricated without ever completely removing the 3 blades. Thus it is not necessary to then manually reassemble the close fitting blades within the cutter bars.

While the oiling jig illustrated is constructed of several component elements the jig according to the invention may also be constructed as an integral assembly. For example, the jig except for the absorbent portions thereof may be cast as a 'unit of a suitable material such as plastic resin.

In view of the above it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. For use with an electric razor of the type which includes a hollow cutter bar having a multiplicity of openings through which whiskers may enter the interior of the bar and a blade which slides longitudinally within the c utter bar for clipping the whiskers, an oiling jig comprising:

an elongate cap adapted to slide longitudinally over the cutter bar; and

an elongate swab mounted on said cap and extending substantially parallel thereto for sliding within said cutter bar to apply lubricant to the interior surface of the bar against which said blade slides while driving said blade through said bar, said swab being longer than half of the length of said bar and substantially shorter than the full length of said bar whereby the full length of said bar can be lubricated by inserting said jig from the opposite ends of said bar without completely removing said blade from the bar.

2. An oiling jig as set forth in claim 1 wherein said caps include a channel portion of substantially U-shaped cross section for fitting over said bar and an end wall portion closing ofl one end of said channel portion.

3. An oiling jig as set forth in claim 2 wherein said swab is mounted on said end wall portion and extends parallel to said channel portion.

4. An oiling jig as set forth in claim 3 wherein said swab comprises lubricant absorbent material supported on a twisted wire stem.

5. An oiling jig as set forth in claim 4 wherein said end wall portion is cast in place with the base of said wire stem embedded therein.

6. For use with an electric razor of the type which includes a plurality of parallel hollow cutter bars each having a multiplicity of openings through which whiskers may enter the interior of the bar and a similar plurality of blades which slide longitudinally within the respective cutter bars for clipping the whiskers, an oiling jig com prising:

an elongate cap adapted to slide longitudinally over the cutter bars; and

a plurality of elongate swabs mounted on said cap extending substantially parallel thereto and to each other for sliding within respective ones of said cutter bars to apply lubricant to the interior surface of each of the bars against which the respective blade slides while driving said blades through said bars, said swabs being longer than half of the length of said bars and substantially shorter than the full length of said bars whereby the full length of said bars can be lubricated by inserting said jig from the opposite ends of said bars without completely removing said blades from the bars.

7. An oiling jig as set forth in claim 6 wherein said cap includes a channel portion of substantially U-shaped cross section for fitting over said bars and an end wall portion closing off one end of said channel portion.

8. An oiling jig as set forth in claim 7 wherein said swabs are mounted on said end wall portion and extend parallel to said channel portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1957 Forrow l5517 X 2/1965 Naumann 184-1 X US. Cl. XR. 3090 

